April 29, 2010

It has been a really hectic week. I have been really busy working on the program for Animal Welfare Organizations. We animals really need you guys and I want to help assure that you are there to help and take care of us in the long term. This week we had a new member join our team who will be leading off our consulting team. Sharon has worked with animal welfare organizations for over 15 years and she likes to rub my belly (ooh, that feel so goood!). Dad and I also worked on creating a great new tool we call “Paws Up…Pants Down?!?”. This is a tool we hope will help animal welfare organization to understand how they can easily implement a few procedures to reduce and even sometimes eliminate their exposure to a loss or injury. I am soooo excited, my leg won’t stop shaking. Oops, I guess I “let the cat out of the bag”, I guess Dad won’t mind. Keep on the look-out as I plan to have this available for you on our website next week.

April 23, 2010

I have a disheartening story to tell you today, however, it is one that needs to be told. Brian, my human companion and I had been taking a walk the other day and he told me about this pup he met at the shelter he visited. Her name is Tokina. Tokina had been abused and was very timid and shy, her fur still somewhat matted and her eyes drooped with sadness and fear. She was so skittish that it took Brian nearly 30 minutes to get her to approach him. Finally after spending some time getting acquainted, Brian took Tokina for a walk. Most of us pups on a walk were having a great time sniffing and loving life. Not Tokina. She walked behind Brian, cowering. When she stepped on a stick, she would jump and then cower. This poor girl had been through a traumatic past and needed to learn that you humans are our friends and are here to help care for us. Brian has plans to go back and work more with Tokina and help her regain her confidence in humans and be a good companion to a family seeking a beautiful, loving and sweet dog to become part of their life.

It amazes me why some people choose to have us, become our companion, and then forget why they got us. We don’t always understand what we are to do or what you want. We need you to work with us and to communicate that to us in a positive manner. We want to please you for you are our best friends.

April 12, 2010

Dad was telling me about an awesome experience that was gratifying, humbling and spiritual he just returned from. He spent time volunteering at a horse rescue/sanctuary near the western slopes of Colorado. On this small ranch is an organization dedicated to providing a safe and nurturing home to horses that are no longer wanted, have been abused/neglected, and/or have been surrendered due to financial hardship. Employees, volunteers and donors of this organization are giving these defenseless horses another chance at life in a safe and caring environment. Organizations like these take in our animal friends, educate people on how to care for these animals, place our animal friends in qualified/caring homes, and offer forever counseling (work with the animals to make them feel secure and safe around humans after they may have suffered terrible abuse as of prior experience with a human(s).

It was interesting to learn that often times an abuser doesn’t just abuse one animal, but often has been abused themselves or have abused others, including people (old and young).

Dad said if you have never been around horses, you need to take the time to do so, even if it means just sitting on the other side of the fence (not me, I want to be in with them, sniffing around). Horses have a spiritual way about them, their calmness, beauty, and karma. Dad says to work with horses brings you even closer to these feelings and perhaps even teaches you something about yourself that you may have never felt before. I can tell they have for Dad.